Sweet Sayings

My youngest, Jace, will be two this month. He is the sweetest little thing a mom could ask for. One night this past week I was putting him to bed, usually daddy does this, and he said, "Mommy lay by me". Cody normally tucks them in, says prayers, gives kisses, and he's outta there!! But, this was such a sweet request and I will never have these times back that I quickly agreed. He snuggled up really close. He told me, "Mommy I love you" then he said some other words that I couldn't understand with the paci in his mouth. Usually I tell him to take out the paci (which he only gets at bedtime now) when he talks so that he will correctly learn how to speak but this time I had to ask him to take it out so that I could understand him! Anyways, he repeated what he had said, "Mommy I love you, you are my best friend". My heart melted! It reminded me that I am the one they spend most of their time with and the person that has the most influence over them. It re-inspired me to "train them in the way they should go so that when they are old they will not depart from it" as paraphrased by me, I'm sure it's not an exact quote.

Jack started AWANA's this year and when he came home with his first memory verse I was doubtful that I would do as the program intended and spend time on it each day and engrain it in him. I want to be that mom who spends that entire week with lesson plans revolving around that verse. I'm not. But, I did have an idea that has ended up being wonderful for us! I wrote his verse on a neon green index card and taped it to the dash of my car. We spend a good amount of time driving here and there during the week so I thought that if we said it each time we were in the car he would have no problem with it. Well, he memorized it the first day and every day since has said it to people that we come in contact with. He even memorized the scripture reference, which isn't required until they are four!

The verse is "God loved us and sent His son" 1 John 4:10. An added benefit is Jace is saying memory verses too! Jace hears us say it so much that he 'memorizes' it and now he is going around saying, "God loves Jace, God loves mommy, God loves daddy, God loves Jacky" you get the picture. And, yes, Jace calls Jack by 'Jacky'. He's always put the y (or ey) ending on everything. I think it's pretty cute.